DISNEYNATURE’S NEW DEEP-SEA
documentary Dolphin Reef is so
visually stunning, “there are times
when you feel like you’re watch-
ing Star Wars,” says narrator (and
Star Wars star) Natalie Portman.
“It’s so miraculous, it looks like
science fiction.”
Directed by Keith Scholey, who
also helmed Disneynature’s Bears,
Dolphin Reef is a deep dive into the
reef life of the oceans of Polynesia.
Following the adventures of a
playful young Pacific bottlenose
dolphin named Echo, we meet a
cast of engaging sea creatures
inhabiting the coral reef. There’sMr. Mantis, a peacock mantis
shrimp who spends his days com-
pulsively tidying up (relatable).
There’s a crew of bumphead
parrotfish whose buckteeth and
sand poops make them a curious
but vital part of the reef ’s ecosys-
tem. Audiences will also be privy
to wild underwater facts: Dolphins
sleep with one eye open! Cuttlefish
mesmerize their prey with their
glowing skin before they pounce!
Longtime animal rights activist
Portman, 38, was already an avid
fan of the sea mammals. “I learned
how to scuba dive with dolphins.
The fact that they have a languageand communicate and can learn—
they’re pretty remarkable animals.”
Her excitement often bubbled over
as she watched each scene prepar-
ing for her voice-over. “I was so
impressed by how the dolphins
learn to hunt, the cleaning stations
where there’s, like, fish dentists—
it’s so wild. It feels like it can’t be
real. I’d have to watch each section
a few times before we recorded,
because otherwise all you’d hear
is me gasping at the beauty and
magic of what I was seeing.”
The feature packs in as much
drama, humor, and emotion
as an episode of your favorite
reality TV show. (Sample plotline:
Several suitors get into a sonic
shouting match while courting
a female humpback.)
And with Earth Day approaching
(April 22), it’s a good time to remind
viewers to take care of our planet
and its oceans. “Our oceans are [the
dolphins’] playground—where they
eat, sleep, and play,” says Portman.
“When we see what these animals
are capable of, our appreciation for
the wonder of nature deepens—and
so does our need to protect it.” �↑ Natalie Portman
takes her talents
to Polynesia
↓These bottle-
noses feel the
need for speedUNDER THE S E AWITH NATALIEPORTMANTHE OSCAR-WINNING ACTRESS LENDS HER
VOICE TO DOLPHIN REEF, A NATURE DOC SET TO
MAKE WAVES ON DISNEY+ APRIL 3By Ruth Kinane60 APRIL 2020 EW ● COM© 2020 DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.APRIL2020.MOVIES.EARTHDAY.LO A.indd 60 FINAL 3/3/20 9:05 AM